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Arizona softball claims Big 12 Player, co-Defensive Player, Scholar-Athlete of the Year
TL;DR
Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart has been named Big 12 Player of the Year after leading the conference with a .490 batting average and 13 home runs. This marks the second consecutive year that an Arizona player has received this honor in the Big 12.
Key points
- Sydney Stewart named Big 12 Player of the Year
- Stewart led the conference with a .490 batting average
- Arizona has produced the Player of the Year for two years
- Stewart also led in OPS, slugging, RBI, and home runs
- Arizona is in its second year in the Big 12
Sydney StewartDevyn NetzBig 12Arizona Wildcats
Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart tags out Texas Tech's Taylor Pannell at home during a Big 12 Conference softball game, Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Rocky Johnson Field. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Arizona Wildcats have been in the Big 12 for two years. They have produced the Big 12 Player of the Year both times.
Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart was named Player of the Year after earning the Big 12 Batting Title with a .490 average in league games. Last year, Wildcat two-way player Devyn Netz earned the honor.
In addition to leading the conference in batting average during league games, Stewart led the league in OPS (1.969), slugging (1.314), RBI (40), and home runs (13) against conference opponents. She played in all 24 league games.
It wasn’t Arizona’s only individual award, either. Centerfielder Regan Shockey took a share of the co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Kansas shortstop Hailey Cripe.
Shockey had a perfect fielding percentage against conference opponents and went .992 over the course of the entire season. Despite being an outfielder, she was part of three of Arizona’s nation-leading 41 double plays. She was also part of 54 defensive outs in 24 league games.
Arizona’s senior shortstop Tayler Biehl was named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for softball. In addition to being a stalwart at shortstop for four years, Biehl carries a 4.00 GPA in nutrition.
Biehl has always made spectacular plays on defense, but she had a breakout year on offense with a .364 overall batting average. That ranks fourth on the team behind Stewart, Shockey, and Sereniti Trice. In league play, it bumped up to .405, which was fourth behind Stewart, Tele Jennings, and Shockey.
“When I look at these three, it’s no surprise, because of the way they live their lives every day,” Arizona head coach said about Stewart, Shockey, and Biehl.
Q&A
Who won the Big 12 Player of the Year award in 2026?
Sydney Stewart from Arizona won the Big 12 Player of the Year award in 2026.
What were Sydney Stewart's batting statistics in the Big 12?
Sydney Stewart had a .490 batting average, led in OPS (1.969), slugging (1.314), RBI (40), and home runs (13) during Big 12 games.
How many times has Arizona produced the Big 12 Player of the Year?
Arizona has produced the Big 12 Player of the Year for two consecutive years.
Who was the Big 12 Player of the Year before Sydney Stewart?
Devyn Netz was the Big 12 Player of the Year before Sydney Stewart, earning the honor in the previous year.